Shish Kabobs

When I was a little girl, I was the pickiest eater around. Not a joke. One of my favorite things was a cheeseburger without the bun and just ketchup. That and Kraft macaroni and cheese. However, one of my other favorite things was my mom’s shish kabobs. It was a great cross between salty and sweet! I’m drooling just thinking about it! Anyway, when I went off to college, I went years without having them. I used to tell my husband about them and he would request them. I would avoid making them because I didn’t have a grill. So! When we moved into our house and bought our precious grill, the first thing I did was ask my mom how to make them. I literally asked her while the movers were shlepping our boxes into the house. The next day, I made them and they were amazing!!!! Now I get to share them with you!

Here is what you need: beef stew meat (you can also use chicken, but I’m a fan of the beef version), onion, red or green bell pepper, ketchup, vegetable oil, soy sauce, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, ground mustard, and salt & pepper.

Cut your stew meat into 1 inch chunks and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, vegetable oil, soy sauce, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, ground mustard, and salt & pepper. Once it is mixed together, ladle a few spoonfuls (about 1 cup) into a separate together just to keep it from being contaminated by the raw meat. It makes a great dipping sauce while you’re eating. After that, stir in the meat cubes, onion chunks, pepper chunks, and the pineapple chunks (with the juice). Cover and set in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours. It is best to sit and marinate for 12 hours or overnight.

When you’re ready to eat, get out a cookie sheet and skewers.

In regard to skewers, I use metal re-usable ones. However, you can use wood skewers, just be sure to soak them in water for an hour before you skewer your kabobs. That way they won’t burn.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the meat, onions, peppers, and pineapple chunks. Just to make your life easier, separate all of the pieces into groups. That way you can skewer everything and have even distribution of all the ingredients. I usually do a couple of pieces of onion, 2 pieces of meat, 1 piece of bell pepper, 2 pieces of onion, 2 pieces of meat, etc until the skewer is full. I always have the pineapple chunks on a different skewer because they cook must faster than the meat skewers and I don’t want them to burn.

Once you are finished skewering the meat, turn your grill on over medium-high heat. You can also use a grill pan or a charcoal grill. I love my Geordi LaForge, which is propane! Clean the grates once the grill is hot and coat a paper towel with vegetable oil and wipe down the grates. Place your meat skewers on the grill and close the lid for 3-4 minutes. Turn the skewers and cook for another 3-4 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be about 145°F. In total, it should cook for about 10-12 minutes. About 4 minutes before the meat is finished cooking, throw on the pineapple skewers and them the brown up on all sides.

Let the meat rest for 5 minutes and warm up the reserved marinade to serve on the side. Take the food off the skewers and serve with potatoes, rice, or couscous and the yummy yummy sauce!

Shish Kabobs Recipe

1 lb. beef stew meat

1 large onion, cut into large chunks

1 large red or greed bell pepper, cut into large chunks

1 cup ketchup

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. soy sauce

1 6 oz. can pineapple juice

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 tablespoons ground mustard

Salt & pepper

1 20 oz. can pineapple chunks

Cut your stew meat into 1 inch chunks and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the ketchup, vegetable oil, soy sauce, pineapple juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, ground mustard, and salt & pepper. Once it is mixed together, ladle a few spoonfuls (about 1 cup) into a separate together just to keep it from being contaminated by the raw meat. It makes a great dipping sauce while you’re eating.

Stir in the meat cubes, onion chunks, pepper chunks, and the pineapple chunks (with the juice). Cover and set in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours. It is best to sit and marinate for 12 hours or overnight.

Get out a cookie sheet and skewers. You can use metal re-usable ones. However, you can use wood skewers, just be sure to soak them in water for an hour before you skewer your kabobs. That way they won’t burn.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the meat, onions, peppers, and pineapple chunks. Just to make your life easier, separate all of the pieces into groups. That way you can skewer everything and have even distribution of all the ingredients. I usually do a couple of pieces of onion, 2 pieces of meat, 1 piece of bell pepper, 2 pieces of onion, 2 pieces of meat, etc until the skewer is full. I always have the pineapple chunks on a different skewer because they cook must faster than the meat skewers, so it’s good to have them separate.

Once you are finished skewering the meat, turn your grill on over medium-high heat. You can also use a grill pan or a charcoal grill. Clean the grates once the grill is hot and coat a paper towel with vegetable oil and wipe down the grates. Place your meat skewers on the grill and close the lid for 3-4 minutes. Turn the skewers and cook for another 3-4 minutes per side. The internal temperature should be about 145°F. In total, it should cook for about 10-12 minutes. About 4 minutes before the meat is finished cooking, throw on the pineapple skewers and them the brown up on all sides.

Let the meat rest for 5 minutes and warm up the reserved marinade to serve on the side. Take the food off the skewers and serve with potatoes, rice, or couscous and the yummy yummy sauce!